[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 58 (Thursday, April 25, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H2310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DON'T DISCOURAGE CROSS-BORDER TRAVEL

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I was alarmed to discover that the 
Department of Homeland Security's budget request proposed a study of 
the imposition of a fee--a tax--for passengers and pedestrians at our 
northern land border crossing.
  Western New York is home to two rail and three vehicle crossings, 
including the Peace Bridge, the second busiest northern border 
crossing. Integrating the economies of western New York and southern 
Ontario is essential to our economic strength, and nationally 300,000 
people cross our Canadian border by vehicle each day and spend an 
estimated $235 million.
  Last year, the American and Canadian Governments signed a historic 
Beyond-the-Border agreement to bolster cross-border travel. The 
imposition of a border toll will discourage cross-border travel and 
goes against the spirit of this historic agreement.
  Mr. Speaker, we should be encouraging increased economic activity 
between the United States and Canada, not stifling it. This proposal is 
completely unacceptable and must be withdrawn immediately.

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